Paine Versus the Gullwings
by Final Fantasy H II
Summary: Paine finds herself being thrown out from the Gullwings and it's all Yuna's fault
1. Default Chapter

This is supposed to be a conversation between Baralai and Nooj shortly after the Vegnagun incident. Idea came to me when I was on the toilet. Interpret that how you want. Contains spoiler of good idea, you have been warned. Normal disclaimer applies. -FFH  
  
"Did you talk to Paine?" Baralai asks.  
  
Baralai and Nooj were walking through the Farplane depths, preferring to walk up rather than across the Farplane flower field like Yuna, Rikku and Paine were.  
  
Nooj looks over at Baralai. This is the first time he has spoken since Shuyin released him.  
  
"...No."  
  
"I can't believe you, Noojster." A new voice from behind them says. Turning around, the men see Gippal swaggering up towards them. "You said you were gonna talk to her!"  
  
Nooj sighs and begins walking again, focusing on the patch of light ahead. Baralai watches this quietly, then smirks.  
  
"Thought you were gonna walk your girlfriend home."  
  
This stops Gippal dead mid-swagger. "What does that mean?" He asked, glaring playfully at Baralai.  
  
"Nothing Blinkie." He replied, running a little to catch up with Nooj. Gippal hurries up to them and takes hold of Baralai.  
  
"It's a good job your followers don't see this kind of behaviour, huh?"  
  
The two broke up laughing, holding each other, their laughter too shrill to be sincere. Nooj turns and looks down on them, chuckling slightly.  
  
"Lucky Paine didn't hear that. Let's go." The other two men looked at each other and ran to catch up with Nooj.  
  
Paine sat on her bed in the cabin nibbling a bar of chocolate. She wasn't supposed to have stuff like this but on some occasions you'd do anything to get a blond mongrel out of your face. She just wanted to think.  
  
Lying back on her bed she stretched her long legs up into the air and then back down. After she had lowered them for the fifth time she came face to face with Yuna. With a well-concealed grunt of annoyance she sat up. Yuna sat on the edge of Paine's bed gingerly, playing with her own chocolate.  
  
"You should eat that." Paine said, startling the other girl. The older girl didn't respond. Paine popped the rest of her chocolate in her mouth and threw her wrapper in the bin by the bed. She sat looking at Yuna for a few moments, wondering if she should pry into her mind.  
  
I know, she thought, I'll leave it to Rikku. She'll come and find Yuna in a few minutes anyway.  
  
Yuna looked up sharply, Paine was getting up to go.  
  
"Paine!" She said reaching out and catching hold of the other girl's hand. "Don't go."  
  
Paine looked down at Yuna. Reluctantly, she sat back down and raised her eyebrow quizzically. Yuna looked down at herself - not letting go of Paine and began to cry suddenly.  
  
Oh, no. Now I know what the phrase 'bursting into tears' means, Paine thought unhappily.  
  
"Rikku!" Paine shouted, trying to get out of Yuna's grip.  
  
"No, no. Not Rikku." Yuna said getting herself back under control. She let go of Paine and scrubbed at her eyes with the palms of her hands like a little girl.  
  
"Why?" Paine asked gently, moving towards the other girl worriedly. Reaching out, she brushed the other girl's hair from her face. Yuna rested her head against Paine's cool shoulder, strongly reminded of how it was with Lulu. Childhood memories of falling down and going to her with scraped knees and cut fingers along with her face above her bed when she was ill raced across her mind like clouds scudding across a tempestuous sky. Paine put her arm round her, letting her sob quietly into her shoulder.  
  
After an unknown period of time, Paine pulled Yuna away and looked into her face. "Now, what's wrong?" She asked firmly. Yuna gulped air and hiccupped weakly.  
  
"When you and Rikku walked through the portal in the flower field the Fayth came back hic and said that he'd try his sniff, hic best to...hic"  
  
Yuna threw herself back into Paine's arms, crying harder than ever.  
  
"Try his best to what?" Paine asked, wondering if this was that secret between Rikku and Yuna. Yuna shook her head, spraying tears onto Paine's bare skin, making her shiver. "Is this about this 'him'?" Paine asked, no sympathy in her voice.  
  
Yuna felt the other girl stiffen slightly. She nodded her head without looking up.  
  
"Well, I'll leave this to Rikku, then." She said standing up.  
  
"No! No, Paine, please!" Yuna clung desperately to what she thought was her friend.  
  
"Why?!" Paine shouted, silencing the talk between Darling and Barkeep. "Why should I do that?! Huh?"  
  
"-Paine"  
  
"You and Rikku have been talking about this 'him' all the time, 'he' this and 'he' that! Well ,I'm sick of it! I'm sick of being left out just because I wasn't your stupid guardian or because I was a girl! I'm SICK OF IT!"  
  
"Hey, hey, hey! What's all the shouting about?" Brother said, glaring at Paine. Buddy was right him. Same as ever.  
  
"We could hear you in the cabin." Buddy said, standing back.  
  
"You made Yuna cry!" Brother screeched running at Paine only to be held back by Buddy.  
  
"No, I didn't!" Paine shouted, halting Brother's attack. "She set herself off and decide to cry all over me and she WON'T TELL ME WHY!"  
  
"Yuna?" Brother asked, squatting next to her. She brushed his concerns away arrogantly. Paine pushed past Buddy and Rikku, who she had not seen, and went up to the deck.  
  
Baralai watched the Celsius cross the sky and imagined that he could see Paine on the deck. He was sitting on the edge of dock 1, letting the wind from the Celsius ruffle his silver hair. He didn't hear Nooj come up behind him until he cleared he said his name.  
  
"Baralai, it's time." Baralai stood and followed Nooj to the podium.  
  
"Do I even need to be here?" He asked Nooj, nervously. He hated public speaking almost as much as he hated the cheap fabrics from Besaid.  
  
"Yes. We're here now anyway. You'll be fine." Nooj said confidently.  
  
They rounded a corner and came across Gippal dancing around, punching the air.  
  
"Hey, Baralai! You're stiff, man."  
  
"Oh, shut up." Baralai said in good humour, throwing a mock punch at Gippal, "Have you forgotten that your weapon is that great, err,...honking gun?" He said, pointing at their weapons in the corner. This time it was Nooj and Gippal's turn to laugh while Baralai stood off to one side, smiling politely, hands stuffed in his pockets.  
  
"Are you ready, then?" He asked.  
  
Spira's three leaders walked out to rapturous applause from their Luca audience.  
  
"Right. We'll go and speak to them." Brother said, meaning Baralai, Gippal and Nooj. "but we'll act normally." He said, tightening his arm round Yuna and glaring at Paine who was standing by Shinra. "Yes?"  
  
"Fine." Paine said, walking away from the bridge, boots hammering a cross tattoo against the sides of the machina.  
  
After their brief conversation with Nooj et al, the Gullwings went back to Besaid – Yuna's decision of course.  
  
Paine thought Baralai was looking a bit down. She had wanted to stay and talk to him but Brother told her to come on.  
  
Baralai had gone to sit by the dock after talking to the Gullwings. He thought Paine looked a bit distant with Rikku and Yuna. Paine went after that. Baralai knew Nooj was hoping she'd stay.  
  
Paine lay on her bed (again) eating a bar of chocolate (again) thinking about the guys (again) when Yuna came and sat on her bed (again). Paine looked over the railing at Brother and Rikku.  
  
"What now?"  
  
"Nothing!" Yuna said looking at Paine who lay back down and picked up a sphere. Looking at Yuna through its crimson hue, Paine saw her turn and look at Brother and Rikku nervously. Paine began tossing the sphere from hand to hand, her eyes not leaving Yuna.  
  
Brother shouted from downstairs suddenly, "Paine is leaving the Gullwings!"  
  
Paine looked at Yuna. "Is that a question of am I fired?"  
  
Yuna looked down and was about to say something when Buddy called the Gullwings down the Engine Room. They were almost in Besaid.  
  
Paine watches Yuna jump from the Celsius into 'his' arms. She smiles off to the side. Rikku thinks she's smiling at her. Dumb blond. When Wakka shouts they look to the shore. The entire Crimson Squad is there, Paine tries to run to them but is held back by Rikku.  
  
"Let them have their moment." Paine looks at her gone out.  
  
"Who cares? Look they're running inland now."  
  
"Yeah, but you'll ruin the moment if you go after them."  
  
Paine pulls her arm free and waves at the three men on the shore. They're trying to get her to run to them. She points to Rikku and Gippal and starts bouncing in confusion. Paine tosses up her hands in frustration and walks back into the cabin.  
  
Baralai smacks Gippal (who is shouting "what about Rikku?") and gestures that he's going to her. Nooj makes out as if he is going to follow him. Gippal grabs his arm,  
  
"Err, Noojster won't the sea rust ya leg?" Nooj scowls but heeds him.  
  
"Hi, there." Baralai says. Paine sits up on her bed.  
  
"What now?"  
  
Baralai looks down. "Nooj is thinking about re-starting the Crimson Squad instead of having all these parties." He gestured towards her shyly, "We thought we better have someone from the Gullwings, too."  
  
"So go ask Yuna and Rikku. I've been fired."  
  
"Paine?" He comes over to her and sits beside her, stroking her hair. She leans on him, breathing in his smell. "You ok?"  
  
Fighting back tears she nods. "Sure."  
  
"Well, we still want you...Come on." He pulled her to her feet.  
  
"Hang on."  
  
"Paine?"  
  
"Need my sword."  
  
They leave the Cabin together, hand-in-hand. Paine puts her finger over her mouth in a shush gesture at Barkeep and Darling. They leave all together and head towards Mushroom Rock Road where the rest of New Yevon and the Machine Faction are.  
  
Well? All written in one day. -FFH 


	2. 2

Normal disclaimer applies.  
  
Thanks to Cute-kitty2. Thanks for the review!  
  
"I wish you'd drop dead, Brother." Rikku snapped, looking through Paine's bedside cupboard.  
  
"Eeeargh. May the good fairy what sits in the sky grant your every wish." Brother replied swinging his arms restlessly. It appears that Paine had made off with most of their spheres. The only one she had left was Leblanc's last laugh. Well hardy har har.  
  
Rikku stood up to find Yuna behind her, plating with her half skirt pathetically. "Cheer up, Yunie. She didn't leave just because of you." Yuna looked elsewhere within the cabin.  
  
Since Paine had left, Yuna had felt that she had been the straw that broke the Shoopuf's back. Not that Paine was a shoopuf. The other Gullwings had thought that Paine was just overreacting and out of her mind. Yuna went out to sit on the deck. She secretly hoped that she'd one day find Paine here.  
  
"Hi, guys." Paine called. The new Crimson Squad HQ was on the North bank of the Moonflow. They decided to operate close to their old factions so they could stop any trouble quickly. Gippal had been thrilled with the idea of running of down the Moonflow gun blazing...until Nooj hit him over the head with his metal cane.  
  
"Where's the religious fella?" She asked playfully, dropping the bag she had brought.  
  
"Other bank." Gippal said coming over to inspect the bag she had brought. "Whatcha got there, Dr. P?"  
  
"Spheres from the Celsius." She said, throwing a mock punch at his face.  
  
After a brief fight, Paine rode a shoopuf over the Moonflow to find Baralai staring out at the Moonlilies. She sat next to him, confident that he would start talking.  
  
"...What time is it?" He asked eventually, voice thick and slurry as if he had just been woken from a deep sleep.  
  
"Two minutes past ten. (X-2)" Paine said, taking her fiancé's hand. He had proposed to her in the Den of Woe. Of all the places in Spira. The Den of bloody Woe.  
  
FLASHBACK "Paine." Baralai says suddenly. "I have something to ask you." They are trekking through the Den of Woe. Nooj and Gippal said they'd help but it's now two hours past their meeting time. She supposes they just conveniently forgot.  
  
"Uh, Baralai? Can this wait until-"  
  
"I have to say this now!" He shouts from somewhere on her left.  
  
"Okay, okay. Go ahead." Although the spirit of Shuyin is long gone, the place still has an ominous feel about it.  
  
"I love you. W-ah. Can you? Ugh." Unseen, he drops to one knee and shoves the engagement ring on her ring finger unceremoniously. "Marry me." He says, exhaling at the same time.  
  
"Baralai..."  
  
END OF FLASHBACK  
  
"You thinking about the wedding, too?" She asks, leaning in close, smelling his scent. He nods, pulling her closer.  
  
"Well, where is she?" The Black Mage asks boredly, picking up her son from his crib.  
  
Yuna and Lulu are at Lulu and Wakka's home. Yuna is speaking to Lulu about Paine having already bored Tidus to the point of ignorance.  
  
"I don't know!...Do you think I should find her?" Yuna asks, sipping tea from her mug whilst watching Lulu over the rim.  
  
Lulu straightens up and turns to her. "I don't know, The only thing I do know is that she and the Praetor of New Yevon are getting married soon."  
  
"Married?!" Yuna stood quickly, dousing her bare legs with tea. "How do you know?"  
  
"It was in the paper." Lulu said, pointing to a stack of Besaid Weeklies over in the corner. Wakka had obviously not looked at them yet. They weren't strewn across the floor of the little hut. Yuna riffled through the pile, throwing aside the ones she didn't find the article in. Lulu took one and opened it to a page which proclaimed what Lulu had said. 'PRAETOR BARALAI AND PAINE TO WED!' the headline seemed to leer at her. Yuna tossed the paper back on the side.  
  
"...I wish she was still my friend." Yuna said, feeling tears sting at her two-tone eyes. Lulu moved towards the younger girl with surprising speed.  
  
"Stop it" Why can't you be happy with what you've got?! You got Tidus but that's not enough for you, is it?! Oh, no. You still swagger about here as if you owned it!" Lulu's face had gone a dangerous shade of red known as Wakka-red. "If you're just going to complain then you can just get out! Go on, OUT!" With that the former summoner and Gullwing found herself outside of her childhood home.  
  
Sorry about how short that was. I have and will be revising for my upcoming AS exams (Psychology, sociology, English language, English literature and General Studies). Writing's therapeutic though so I won't stop although the updates might not be weekly but I will try to keep it that way. -FFH. 


	3. 3

Wow, thank you for the nice reviews, guys! The last chapter was written in a fit of madness - never meant to be a serious story in other words! Disclaimer applies. FFH  
  
Paine releases Baralai's hand and runs to Nooj and Gippal. Gippal picks her up and swings her round playfully and Nooj hugs her gently as if she might break. He catches Baralai's eye and Baralai nods, smiling politely – too happy to catch the look in his old friend's eye. He watches Nooj walk over to the promontory with Gippal who has forgotten about Rikku.  
  
"You don't mind that Baralai likes her?" Gippal blurts out. Nooj remains by the statue, looking thoughtfully down upon Besaid. Gippal looks at Nooj a moment longer and then scratches the back of his head shyly.  
  
"No. We're honestly just friends." Nooj said, turning around to face Gippal who nodded and turned away, swinging his arms by his body.  
  
Nooj looked back down onto Besaid and thought about what he had just told Gippal. Yes; it was true. While he had always found himself attracted to Paine in the Crimson Squad, he had never dared asked her out. As a result, he had spent the second part of his adolescence masturbating over her, thinking about her eyes when they caught the light or her perfect hourglass figure.  
  
And he had got close to her. Close enough to touch. She had considered him a really close friend although not as close as her and Baralai – those two had always been hugging and sitting next to each other in the Squad which was probably why Nooj never asked her out before. Nooj knew that neither Paine or Baralai would speak to him ever again if he told her what was in his heart. Nooj looked down upon Besaid, the village reduced to toy-size from perspective. The blue waves contrasted with the yellow sound. Corny. From the beach squeals could be heard, probably from the children who were free from lessons. The occasion? Lady Yuna's return and reunotion with this Tidus.  
  
Nooj turned stiffly away from the drop, feeling the enticing call of an unnamed demon, coaxing his over the edge.  
  
As he turned away he saw Paine and Baralai in the distance. He was talking animatedly, hands flying to illustrate his speech for an amused Paine. Nooj smiled to himself, quietly happy to be the one to observe his friend in this private moment. Paine was walking alongside him, peeling an orange as he spoke, occasionally looking up to smile at him or to say something.  
  
Nooj turned away from the happy couple and walked down to the village, deciding that he'd like to see the few Youth League members. 


	4. 4

Wow, sorry for the delay, ladles and gentlespoons. I have done ALL my exams but have to return to school for 4 weeks during the holiday to start my A2s. : (  
  
If you fancy a laugh look at the reviews for my story Yuna's Abortion 2 – they are so nasty some of them!  
  
Anyway, regular disclaimer applies.  
  
Nooj ambled along painfully to where Paine sat, wincing on every other step.  
  
"Never thought I'd see you hanging around outside a temple." He said, grateful of the shade provided from the overhang of Besaid temple.  
  
"Very funny," She said, tone calm and serious, "I'm waiting for Baralai." She said, tapping her foot rhythmically.  
  
"Oh...Seen Yuna around?" Paine looked at him slowly and for one second on time Nooj's heart became Paine's. In that moment he would have done anything for her.  
  
"We're not talking, remember?" With a flat feeling Nooj remembered why Paine had ended up helping them.  
  
"Paine!"  
  
"Speak of the shoopuf." Paine murmured, stopping the foot tapping and standing up quickly.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me?! I can't believe you never said a word!" Yuna said, beginning her rant from the entrance of Lulu's house where (unbeknown to Paine) she had just been kicked out. Yuna strode over to Nooj and Paine hands on hips and watched by an annoyed Lulu.  
  
"Tell you what?" Paine said, looking down at Nooj again. For the second time that day Nooj felt his heart flutter against his will.  
  
"That you and Baralai are getting married!" Yuna exploded.  
  
For a whole five seconds everything appeared to go quiet. Nooj was wearing a slack-jawed expression, Paine had raised an eyebrow and Yuna was waiting for an answer, hands on hips.  
  
"...How about because you got me fired?" Paine said, voice deadly calm, cold and in control.  
  
"I NEVER GOT YO-"Noticing everyone else's sudden interest Yuna stalked over to them and began whispering, "I never got you fired, you fired yourself by being nasty to me!"  
  
"Oh, shut up." Paine says, roughly pushing Yuna away from her.  
  
"PAAAAAINE!" Brother shouts running over to her. Obviously he has seen her push Yuna. He keeps running towards the temple, bellowing in a weird mixture of Al Bhed and English and other guttural noises. Nooj stands up quickly and puts a hand on her cool shoulder, not caring if it was inappropriate.  
  
"You can't expect Paine to play like a team player when you don't tell her everything." He blazed, eyes sparking hatred at the Al Bhed behind his glasses.  
  
"Erg, SO?!" He cries, making another run at Paine who stands her ground and draws her sword.  
  
"Paine!" A new voice cries. Seeing the praetor descend the temples steps takes the fight out of Brother who grabs Yuna and leaves. "What was that about?"  
  
She drops her sword with a clang and hugs him hard. "I don't know." She eventually says. Baralai looks at Nooj who is standing alone, holding Paine sword.  
  
"Next time I get her." Brother said to Tidus and Yuna who were lined up on the beach. Brother was pacing around, swinging his arms and shouting at the children brave enough to come near him. Tidus looked down at Yuna who shrugged back at him. Buddy emerged from the tree he had been inspecting and came over to join the group.  
  
"We're very glad to meet you and all" he began looking at Tidus "but what are you going to do?" He said to Yuna who looked quickly at her feet.  
  
"I mean, we'll be happy for you to stay – even though we will miss you, but..."  
  
Once he had stopped his clumsy speech Yuna smiled, "I'll come with you."  
  
All three of the men were surprised.  
  
"I thought you were going to stay with me." Tidus said, hurt that she seemed to have missed him out of her equations.  
  
"Yeah, but I like being a sphere hunter. And I don't need you tagging along, either." She said quickly, seeing his facial expression change.  
  
"Well, it doesn't have to be that way, Yuna." Buddy said, arranging his goggles, "with Paine gone we need a third fighter."  
  
"Great! Just don't fire me, ok?" He said charmingly.  
  
"Tch, fine." Brother said from his position on the floor.  
  
"...And she was moping because you and she are no longer friends."  
  
The Black mage looked at the female warrior who was sitting opposite her on the floor. The coffee table was littered with cups, dummies, papers, a little bit of beach life really. Including a gutted fish. Paine looked at the fish with some amusement.  
  
"...Oh." Idly she picked up the knife and proceeded to complete the gutting better than the person who had started it had done.  
  
"So, I hear you and the Praetor Baralai are to be wed. I'm not usually one for gossip but this is extraordinary."  
  
"That's right." Paine said lightly, tossing the fish guts into a nearby bin.  
  
"Well, good luck." Lulu said, wishing for there to be someday, a daughter of hers like Paine.  
  
Up on the promontory Brother can see Paine coming, hopping from one foot to the other he looks at her until she draws level with him.  
  
"Hello, Brother."  
  
Now, I must prepare for my A2s! (Has anyone seen Final Fantasy Unlimited? It is the best piece of animé ever!) 


End file.
